The 2026 midterm elections delivered a stunning Democratic wave, and Bomani Jones has a theory about what happened: Americans are tired of everything being so expensive.

On this episode of The Right Time with Bomani Jones, Bomani breaks down the surprising results of the 2026 midterms, including Democratic victories in Texas, James Talarico's Senate win, Gina Hinojosa's historic gubernatorial victory, and Susan Collins' defeat in Maine.

But the bigger story isn't simply which party won. It's why the Republican Party's usual political playbook failed to connect with voters increasingly frustrated by the cost of living.

Bomani discusses the impact of inflation, gas prices, tariffs, and affordability on the election, why familiar culture-war arguments didn't work, and how progressive politicians helped make economic concerns central to the Democrats' message.

He also examines the role of Zohran Mamdani's political messaging, the importance of younger voters, the influence of AIPAC, and what Democrats should learn from their unexpected success.